Rent by Jonathan Larson5/30/2023 The musical places a version of the LGBTQ community onstage that is out and proud, even in its messiness, and treats HIV/AIDS patients and those who experience substance addiction as people who deserve dignity. However, it spoke particularly to youths who felt like misfits, self-proclaimed musical theater nerds, LGBTQ teens who were still self-discovering, and to those who felt that their families didn’t understand them. Rent did not invent edge and shock on Broadway, nor was it the first rock musical or even the first rock opera. Fans memorized the songs, followed the show on tour, and even wrote fan fiction and created fan art. Rent quickly became a pop culture phenomenon with a devoted following. Given the inaccessible expense of Broadway theater tickets, producers implemented a democratization effort suited to the musical’s themes in what is now a widespread practice: selling $20 rush tickets-first come, first served, for a seat in the first two rows. Its sold-out Off-Broadway run with New York Theatre Workshop made the move to Broadway’s Nederlander Theatre inevitable three months later. Rent was an immediate hit, lauded for broaching the issue of HIV/AIDS, depicting LGBTQ+ identities, and including multiracial representation.
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